Trail of Bread Crumbs
by LadyTyrant
Summary: Elladan, Elrohir, Rumil, and Orophin are up to trouble...again. And this time they have managed not only to get caught by a headstrong she-elf, they've managed to get Haldir involved.
1. Bread Crumbs

Elrohir, Elladan, Rumil, and Orophin were doing what they usually did, causing trouble. Rumil and Orophin had come with their brother Haldir, the March Warden of Lothlórien, to protect Galadriel, the Lady Of Light, and her husband, Lord Celeborn, on their trip to Rivendell. Now that the long journey was over, the two brothers had been released, much to the joy of the Rivendell twins. They were all pranksters, and they welcomed the chance to prank together. Haldir, the eldest of the three Lórien elves, was a strong, composed, slightly arrogant individual and he did not take part in their many tricks.

Today, they had been considering changing around some of the books in Elrond's library. The librarian was an old, very formal elf named Erestor, and his reaction would be most amusing. Their scheming was interrupted when the smell of baking bread wafted into Elladan's room. Without a second's consideration, the four got and followed their noses to the Kitchens.

The argued for a few moments whether they should ask for some bread or whether they should just grab it. The argument ended with no real decision made as they snuck, one by one, through the Kitchen doors. The table was bare, but a few moments later a small she-elf set one, then two loafs onto the table to cool.

The twins recognized her immediately. She was the young spitfire that had recently been hired as Erestor's helper. She didn't seem very bookish, with her flowing jet hair, sharp eyes, and athletic build, but they had soon learned that she was brilliant. Not only could she speak more languages then most and memorize letters after reading it only a few times, she also had a knack for seeing their various traps and tricks, before walking into them. She had only been caught once, and that time she had told them off in Elvish and the common language, before going off into a lengthy spew of curses. Somehow she had managed to remain lady like, or as lady like as one could be when one was hanging upside down by one ankle in the rain. The boys had learned to respect her and keep their distance.

Unfortunately, the bread smelled too good and, Rumil grabbing one loaf, and Elrohir grabbing the other, they tore out of the room. The Lórien elves thought to stop in the next hall over, but Elladan and Elrohir kept them running until they reached Elrond's main living area. They burst into the room, all four grinning triumphantly. The occupants of the room looked up. Elrond and Celeborn were in the middle of a chess game, Arwen, Celebrian (Elrond's wife), and Galadriel were talking and sewing by the window. Haldir leaned against a table in the middle of the room, his arms crossed.

The four thieves divided the first loaf before flopping down, two on each of Haldir's sides, and placing the second loaf on the table. Haldir picked it up. "Whatever trouble you four have gotten into, I want none of it. I will not become involved." He informed them, still holding the bread.

Elladan grinned at him and spoke through a mouthful "Worry not, March Warden. She does not know it was us." Haldir was just opening his mouth to ask who _She_ was, when _She _slammed open the door.

"Who took my bread?" The offended bookkeeper snarled, before her eyes landed on the four of them. "You four," She growled, "I might have known. Go to the Kitchen, now. I'll have you washing dishes until you can't feel your hands." Meekly the trouble makers obeyed. She shooed them out before turning on her heel to glare at Haldir, saying in a disapproving voice "March Warden, I'd have though better of you." Haldir blinked at her before realizing he was still holding the second loaf.

He fixed the wrathful she-elf with a steady, and hopefully calming gaze. "Madam, I had no part in this trickery." He said evenly. She just rolled her eyes. "I had nothing to do with this!" Haldir continued, seeing her sharp glare as a challenge.

She crossed her arms. "Yeah, right, sure, fine. Go to the Kitchen!" She ordered. Haldir bristled, he was _not_ used to being spoken to that way. A silvery laugh sounded from behind him. He turned just in time to hear Galadriel speak.

"She has caught you, Haldir." He gaped openly at his Lady. Then Lord Celeborn spoke up.

"She does have a point, Haldir. Take your punishment with your head held high." His eyes were sparkling with an amused sparkle. Elrond smiled, and gestured to the door and the furious elleth. Having received indirect orders from both his lord and lady, Haldir had little choice but to stalk out of the door. The she-elf lead the way back to the Kitchen with a quick pace. Haldir paid little attention to the walk as he was still fuming over 1) being roped into this and 2) being spoken to so sharply by this unknown elleth. No one spoke to him in such tones as she had. He was too well known for his fighting skills. His wardens didn't dare, and the elleths he flirted with were too enamored with him. This interesting new she-elf might serve as an interesting challenge.

He looked over at her. She was very pretty, with black hair and sharp green eyes that suggested she rarely missed anything. A small smirk came to his mouth. He would get his revenge. His brothers and the twins would regret getting him involved, but now he had a new elleth to watch. This one didn't appear to be as easy as the many maidens who threw themselves at him. His smirk widened maybe his stay in Rivendell would be more interesting then he had originally thought.

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And that is where it ends. A little bit of Haldir's arrogance comming in at th end. I may make this into a longer OC roamnce if I get enough positive reviews/resonses. Good bye until then. 


	2. Suckers

Well. here's chapter two. Hope you like it!

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The mysterious she-elf and Elrond's head chef took turns breathing down their necks the rest of the day, and well into the night. They were kept there until all the dinner dishes, utensils, pots and pans had all been cleaned. They were then fed and were made to wash their own dishes, before, finally, they were released.

Once they had put a good five hallways between the kitchen and them, Haldir turned to his brothers, eyes sharp. "You do realize you're going to regret this, don't you?" They hadn't dared talk much while in the kitchen, in case the chef added more to their work, as she had done on other occasions. "Who was she?" Haldir demanded suddenly, after they had started walking again. His brothers nodded, looking curiously at Elladan and Elrohir.

"She's Erestor's assistant." Elladan said. Seeing the look on the Lórien elves faces he added "She's already been here for nearly four months. That's more then twice as long as any of the previous assistants."

"Do you think she'll stay much longer?" Rumil asked. Erestor was infamous for being very impatient and demanding with his assistants.

"Oh, she'll stay." Elrohir chuckled. "She's gor Erestor wrapped around her finger. He loves her. Says she should have been his daughter." Haldir raised an eyebrow but Orophin spoke.

"Why? I though he only loved his books." He joked. The twins exchanged glances and grinned.

"She is as smart as him. She's good with organizing his library, and she's a wonder with paper work. That's what he said, word for word. She only works with him for about half a day, though, after noon, she usually wanders into the gardens or the forest."

"She didn't seem like the scholarly type." Haldir murmured pensively.

"She's not." The twins said in unision.

"She's smart and devious." Elladan grinned. "We haven't successfully pulled off a prank that had anything to do with the library since she showed up."

Rumil smirked. "She sounds like my type of elleth. But you still haven't given us her name."

"Her name is Kyreea, but I'm warning you, you won't get far with her. We tried." Elrohir sent a glance at his brother. "She likes to play with people's minds. She can talk anyone around in circles."

A voice behind them interrupted the conversation. "If you are to continue with your tricks, might I request you stay away from the library?" They turned to find Kyreea striding towards them. Elladan gave her a cheeky grin.

"You may request it, but that doesn't mean we will."

"Well then let me warn you against it." She said softly as she drew even with them. "It may be…hazardous to your health."

The twins smiled at her. "Don't you mean hazardous to our hands?" Elrohir held up his hands, which were still wrinkled from the warm dishwater.

She smiled also, "You should have been quieter. I heard you as soon as you came in."

Rumil bristled slightly, studying her carefully. "If you heard us, why did you let us steal the bread?" he questioned.

This time she smirked, eyes glittering with mischief "Well, why would I wash my own baking dishes when I could get a few strong young elves to do it for me."

Haldir arched a single eyebrow. "If you knew they were in the kitchen, shouldn't you have known I wasn't one of them?" She turned her gaze to him, smirk still firmly in place.

"I did." She said simply. He watched her through slightly narrowed eyes. "You made yourself look guilty. What with holding the bread before trying to make excuses." With that she started walking away, calling over her shoulder "Oh, and chef says that if any of the dishes are dirty, you'll be cleaning for a week." And then she turned a corner and was out of sight.

"I like her." Rumil announced, before catching sight of Haldir's expression. He had a look that both Rumil and Orophin recognized. It was the look he got when he had found a new elleth that interested him.

"It's late," Haldir commented. "Should we not escort her home?"

Elladan shook his head. "She lives in the palace. Her mother is a Rivendell elf, but her father is from Mirkwood. So our father offered her a place in the palace."

"Near the library, I expect." Orophin sighed.

"No. She's in the wing Haldir usually stays in. She said she liked because it's close to the gardens and there is only one other room in the hall." Haldir got a very smug look on his face.

"Well, I must bid you all good night." He murmured before wandering off. The four pranksters looked at each other, before they too, separated and headed for their own rooms.

Haldir arrived at his room and entered. He was mulling over how to approach this fiery new elleth. He stripped off his tunic and walked onto his room's balcony. He was on the bottom first floor, so the terrace was only a floor or two above the ground. He scanned the garden, with its multiple terraces and winding footpaths. A sound made him look over, and he saw Kyreea walk out onto her own balcony, dressed in a white nightgown. She carried a hairbrush, and, as he watched, she unbraided the long braid that had previously held her long hair back. She sat on the rail of the balcony, looking over the gardens. Haldir watched her in silence until she returned to her room.

Smirking he went inside also, closing the door. Lying down on his bed he stared at the bed's canopy. He drifted to sleep with this thought swirling around in his head. _Maybe my stay in Rivendell won't be as boring as I first thought._

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Any thought is apreciated. So please review!

LadyTyrant


	3. Sweet and Sour

Hello and welcome to the third chapter of Trail of Bread Crumbs. Thank you for reading. For those of you who care, elleth are female elves and elleon are male elves. For those of you who are Lord of the Rings fanatics, please correct me if I'm wrong. Enjoy!

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Haldir stood resolutely beside Galadriel and Celeborn, greeting and making small talk with the many Rivendell elves that had come to the celebration. The party was to greet the elves from Lórien. Haldir, having never been a person for crowds, had not wanted to come, but the Lady had requested him to attend, as she always did, and he saw it as his duty to obey. So he stood behind The Lady of Light and Lord Celeborn, trying to act interested. However much he tried, his thoughts continued to drift back to Kyreea, the fiery little elleth who had caught his attention the day before.

He had spent all day trying to find her, but she was running errands for Erestor and, no matter how long he searched Elrond's palace, he hadn't been able to catch up with her. He wasn't quite sure why he was so interested in her, she wasn't the kind of elleth he usually flirted with, she didn't throw herself at his feet and beg to be taken to his bed, as many others had. No, she didn't seem the least bit impressed by him. He was pulled from his musings by the voice of Elrond. "Something on you mind, Haldir?" His eyes had a trace of amusement that made Haldir sure he was still amused by yesterday's bread incident.

Haldir shook his head, denying the fact that his thoughts were far from this evening of dancing. Elrond accepted his answer with the smallest of nods, before he turned to greet Erestor, who was, making his way through the crowd. "I'm glad you made it." The Lord of Rivendell said when the Librarian drew even with them. "I see you didn't manage to pull Kyreea out of the library." Haldir blinked. He had assumed she would be a social butterfly, but apparently he was wrong.

"Ah, now that is where you are wrong, my lord." Erestor said looking smug. "I enlisted the help of your children to make sure she came. Look," He added turning towards the main doors "Here they are now." Elrond, his wife, and the three Lórien elves all followed Erestor's gaze. Arwen had just walked in, holding the arm of Elladan, both had triumphant smiles and Elladan gave Erestor a wink. Haldir turned when he heard footsteps behind him, and he found Rumil and Orophin walking up. They nodded their greetings before turning back to the door. Arwen and Elladan were at the bottom of the stairs and heading their way. Just as the two reached them, the doors at the top of the stairs opened once more.

Elrohir walked in, leading, or more accurately dragging, Kyreea. Haldir saw her grimace as the doors shut behind them, and she stiffened, jaw clenching. Despite that, she allowed Elrohir to lead her down the stairs, choosing not to embarrass herself in front of all the gathered elves. Haldir looked her over, a small smirk growing slowly on his face.

She looked beautiful, in a dress of blue velour. It was the typical style for Rivendell she-elves, with long bell sleeves, dipping neck line, and intricate stitching along the hems. A silver sash had been tied at her waist and it sat slightly crooked, accentuating her curves to the fullest. Her hair had been released form her usual braid and it cascaded past her hips, falling just short of her knees. A silver ribbon had been twined through her bangs before being loosely braided in a warrior's braid at the back of her head. It was rare for an elleth to use such a braid, but it fit her.

When Kyreea and Elrohir reached them, he was still grinning, and she still looked ready to kill. "Come now, Kyreea." Elrond spoke, resting a hand on her tense shoulder. "This is a celebration, you should be merry. Come, smile for me." What they received was more of a grimace then a smile, Elrond chuckled, a sound that mingled with the silvery laughs of Galadriel and Celebrian and the resounding chuckles of Celeborn, Rumil, Orophin, and Haldir. Seeing her edging towards the door leading to the gardens, Elrond pulled her back, saying "You are young, you should spend this time dancing." He smiled fondly down at her and she had just enough time to scowl before Elrohir pulled onto the dance floor.

During the following dances, Elrohir, Elladan, Elrond, Celeborn, Rumil, Orophin, and a few other elves danced with her. No matter what Haldir did, be it wait for the dance to end, or try to cut in the middle, she always ended up dancing with some other eager young elf. After many failed attempts to get a dance with her, Haldir retreated to the tables, standing beside Rumil, and trying to formulate a new plan.

"She really is something, isn't she?" Rumil murmured, watching her as she was spun around by one of his fellow Lórien Wardens. Haldir nodded as he watched her curtsey to the elf as the song died. He continued to watch her even after his brother had been pulled away to dance by the pretty Rivendell elleth that had been batting her eyes at him all evening. He just stood there, frequently turning down requests to dance, waiting for a chance. And as happens when one waits long enough, a chance presented itself.

Kyreea had been dancing with a tall dark haired Rivendell elf and, when the song ended, they were near the door that led into the gardens. As soon as he had bowed to her and melted back into the crowd, Kyreea slipped silently through the door and vanished into the huge garden. Haldir had hoped something like this would happen, when he could get her alone, but he hadn't seriously thought it would, so he was pleasantly surprised when no one followed her out. He waited a moment longer, before following her example and slipping out unnoticed.

She had already wandered off the small terrace outside the door, heading into the deeper areas of the garden. He could, however, still hear her footsteps and he followed her as she made her way to Elrond's rose garden. She stopped on a terrace that over looked the thundering waterfalls. Her back was to him and he took the chance to come up behind her, moving with the stealth he had acquired at the fences. Once he was right behind her, he spoke, "Good evening, Milady." She jumped and spun, looking horrified, to find a very smug looking Haldir standing so close they were almost touching.

She backed up quickly, until her back was against the low wall of the terrace. Her eyes were flashing dangerously but her voice came out smoothly. "Isn't a little late to be wandering around, _Milord?" _She stressed the title, her unnervingly calm voice making him smile. It had been a long time since anyone had dared challenge him.

"I could say the same to you." Haldir purred, taking a step closer but stopping to observe her. "You look exquisite, Kyreea."

She raised a single brow, "Since when have we been on first name terms, March Warden?" She crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at him. "Should I be worried? This is the second night you follow me." Her voice was steady but there was a slight note of amusement that made Haldir bristle.

"You would love that wouldn't you, my dear? I would be happy to make it three nigh-" He stopped mid sentence. "What did you say?"

To his fury she was now smirking openly at him. "Do you really think I didn't know you were watching me last night?" She questioned, voice smug.

Haldir blinked at her before grasping at the only reply he could think of. "Well if you knew I was there," His voice gained the arrogant note he was so well known for. "Then you must have enjoyed my attention, otherwise you would have retreated inside sooner."

Kyreea laughed lightly, before stepping closer to him. "You're too cocky for your own good, March Warden. I was just showing you that there are some things you can't have." She stepped forward again and began circling him. "Some elleth aren't interested in elves who are all brawn and no brain." She whispered in his ear, her breath caressing his ear.

Haldir spun, not quite decided whether he should grab her and shake her, or kiss her…or both. But Kyreea was already at the intersection of one of the smaller garden paths. She turned to look at him, before giving a mocking smile and a small curtsey. She then turned and disappeared down the trail, triumphant grin clear even in the semi darkness.

A cold wave of fury washed over him and he took a step after her, fully intending to chase her down. He would make it quite clear to her just how smart _and_ strong he was. She had no right to make such assumptions! Such incorrect assumptions! She would learn her lesson, and, maybe after she came to him and begged him, he would forgive her. And then he would get exactly what he wanted, proving her very wrong. Before he could take another step a hand came down on his shoulder.

"Let her go, brother." Orophin's voice advised from behind him. Haldir spun, eyes flashing, ready to give him a verbal lashing, but seeing his brother's slightly concerned face made him contain his temper. He shrugged the hand off and paced a few times around the small opening in the thick gardens. Finally he sat down heavily on the low wall of the terrace.

"Who does she think she is?" He spat bitterly. Orophin came over and sat beside him.

"Elladan and Elrohir said she's been like that since she came from Mirkwood. She likes to tease people. I suppose you get more of it since you haven't given up yet.

"And I don't plan to! Ever!" Haldir spat.

"They also said she usually spars with some of the elleon almost every morning. Maybe you'd like to join them tomorrow." Orophin's tone was casual but Haldir understood his meaning instantly. A wide rather nasty smile spread across his face.

"Maybe I will." Haldir said and pushed himself of the wall. "If brawn is what she wants, by all means, brawn is what she'll get." And with that he turned and strode out of the garden, leaving a slightly worried Orophin behind.

He sighed and stood. "I hope this doesn't last much longer." He muttered to himself. "Or one of them may end up getting hurt." He sighed again and headed out of the garden in search of a currently unoccupied elleth.

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Thanks for reading. The more reviews I get the sooner I'll update. Bye! 


	4. Punched Down

Here's the new chapter. Sorry it took so long. I already have a good amount of chapter 5 and I've started writing a couple oneshots. Please read them when they are uploaded.

Enjoy!

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Haldir rose early the next morning and made his way down to the outdoor sparring fields in high spirits. Elrond's outdoor sparring fields were about two hundred yards from the stables, which were behind the palace. They were a series of flat fields that surrounded a small hill, where the fighters waiting for a match could stand and watch. There were eight fields in all, all measuring about fifty by fifty yards.

When he arrived, Kyreea was in the middle of a somewhat laid back fight with Elladan. He walked up to Elrohir who was watching Orophin and Rumil, who were already there, wrestling in the grass. From the vantage point the hill provided Haldir had an excellent view all the fields, depending on which way he faced. He saw Kyreea knock Elladan's sword from his hand, without a pause, Elladan tackled her and in moments had her pinned. She blinked up at him before they both started laughing; he rolled off her and jumped lightly to his feet, offering her a hand. She took it and stood, handing him his sword. "What are the rules for sparring matches?" He asked, making Elrohir jump.

"There usually aren't any. Just don't cause any serious injuries, like breaking bones or cutting throats." He paused to look at Haldir. "We usually just pair off and take which ever field is open. I'm currently waiting to fight Rathien." He said nodding to a tall elf with light brown hair that had another elf in a headlock. Both their swords lay forgotten on the ground.

"What are they doing?" Haldir questioned, nodding toward a pair of elves who were standing in the middle of a field to his left. They were arguing and looked for all the world like a merchant and a customer.

Elrohir looked over, then grinned. "Some of us like to make deals or bets on our own fights. 'If I win you wash my socks. If you win I wash yours.'" Elrohir explained, still grinning.

"Do these deals always have to do with socks?" Haldir asked, a slightly disturbing glint entering his eyes.

Elrohir laughed. "No, of course not. It can be anything as long as they both agree. When deals like those are made the fighters usually find some one to witness the deal and the fight. Just out of tradition." Haldir nodded. He was beginning to develop a plot to bring around the downfall of Kyreea's pride. Rumil suddenly appeared by his brother's shoulder, panting but grinning victoriously. Orophin was just behind him. He to was panting but he lacked the grin his brother had.

"Spar with me?" Rumil asked, once he had regained his breath. Haldir sent a glance towards Kyreea who was climbing the hill with Elladan. With a small sigh he nodded and followed Rumil to another, currently vacant, practice field.

Kyreea reached the crest of the hill just in time to see Haldir and Rumil begin. She watched for a moment before rolling her eyes and turning away. She watched Elrohir and Rathien fight. They started with sword, par normal, but ended up in a wrestling match. In about twenty minutes they were done and Elrohir had been named the winner. Kyreea spoke briefly to Rathien, cutting it as short as possible, not liking the way his eye always drifted…down. She watched him retreat to another field through narrow eyes, lips pulled back in disgust.

Haldir stalked up behind her, having beaten Rumil without a second thought. Smirking, he laid a single hand on her shoulder. She jumped and spun, facing him in an instant. Her eyes were wide, and she looked startled but the moment she saw his face, her expression turned into an arrogant sneer. "Yes?" She said voice dangerously calm, shrugging his hand off her shoulder.

"I thought we might spar?" Haldir queried. Then he added, "Unless of course you scared." If she had been considering turning him down, she no longer was. Her eyes turned dark and she spun on her heel leading the way to a recently vacated field. She turned to face him but cocked a brow when she saw Haldir's casual stance. In answer to her unvoiced question, Haldir said, "I thought we might make this more interesting. I heard some people make deals that depend on the outcome of the fight." He paused to look at her; she nodded at him to continue "If I win, you serve me for one week." He saw her eyes flash momentarily before they gained a malicious gleam.

"And you shall serve me for a week, should I win." She stated, as if they had already agreed. Feeling confident that he was going to win Haldir placed a hand to his heart and bowed, Kyreea copying him. He then stuck out his hand, and she took it in a firm grasp, sealing the deal.

Elladan, Elrohir, Orophin and Rumil, all of whom had been watching, sent nervous glances at each other. Apparently they had just been named the witnesses of the bet. They had noticed that in the two short days since they had arrived, Haldir and Kyreea had developed a rather vicious rivalry. They moved to the edge of the practice field Haldir and Kyreea had chosen, shifting and murmuring, lost somewhere between amusement and concern. Haldir was perfectly liable to hurt Kyreea, what with his refined skills and several millennia worth of a warrior's training and experience. Kyreea, on the other hand, was a passionate fighter, who just might be able to hold her own against Haldir, if only for a little while. There was no doubt in the twins' minds that if she got an opening, she wouldn't hesitate to attack with all the force she could. Whatever the outcome, it was sure to be an interesting fight.

Haldir drew his sword and stood in a casual stance, openly mocking her. Kyreea's eyes flashed as she too, unsheathed her sword, but she refused to take his bait, choosing instead to settle into a fighting stance. She didn't move after that, obviously waiting for him to make the first move. Haldir considered her for a moment before, readjusting his grip on his sword, and lunging at her in one fluid movement.

He was on her faster then she had thought and Kyreea was forced to roll out of the way. Not one to stay on defense, she jumped to her feet and brought her sword upward. The two swords made an almost sweet ringing noise as Haldir brought his sword up also, blocking her strike. He drew his sword back and brought it down in a feint. Somehow, she read his move and ducked under his arm bringing her sword across to swipe at his chest and force him to back up. Before she had time to register it, her sword had been sent flying out of her hand.

Thinking he had her, Haldir made a move to bring his sword to her neck, but she had left the place she had fallen. He had just enough time to block her vicious down stroke. Cursing her speed, he caught her newly retrieved sword and the two quivered there, both leaning against their swords, not willing to be the one to end the battle of strengths. They both knew, however, that she was not nearly as strong as Haldir. At the same time they both flicked their wrists in a move that sent the other's sword flying.

Again, they moved with the same thought in mind and scrambled to grab the sword nearest them. Haldir's hand found Kyreea's sword and he picked it up, marveling at how light it was. He tossed it from one hand to the other before looking up. He found Kyreea holding his sword, hardly able to pick up the gleaming weapon.

Once again, Haldir thought he had won, and, once again, Kyreea surprised him. She dropped his sword and ran straight at him catching him in the stomach and sending them both to the ground. In his surprise, Haldir released Kyreea's sword and it skidded out of arm's reach.

Kyreea was now sitting on top of Haldir, looking triumphant. With hardly any effort, Haldir rolled over, effectively reversing their positions, so she was the one being straddled now. He gave am arrogant smirk. "Give?" He should have seen the danger sign of her eyes, which darkened dangerously. To his utmost astonishment, she rolled, twisting and struggling and managed to once again reverse their positions.

She tilted her head to one side showing him an exact replica of his smirk. "Give?" She mocked. She was sitting on his thighs and had her small hands clamped around his wrists, which she held at his sides. Haldir just smiled and, using his superior strength and bulk, made a third reversal of their positions. He sat on her, pinning her easily with his weight, holding her wrists above her head in a single calloused hand. Kyreea desperately tried to throw him off, but he had learned her trick and wasn't about to fall for it again.

He titled his head in an uncanny impression of her. "I win." he purred once she had finally given up on struggling. He watched the anger rising in her eyes, and couldn't help but add to his growing list of offenses. "You did well." He told her, noting the slight surprise in her eyes. Then he added "For an elleth." Her eyes widened and her self-control broke. She let out the longest and foulest list of words Haldir had ever heard. Almost any of the words that came from her mouth could have made the raunchiest warriors blush.

And they did. A large group of fighters had gathered around the field to observe the fight. There were no longer anyone fighting, everyone had crowded around the edges of the field. Elladan, Elrohir, Rumil, and Orophin stood with Elrond, Celebrian, Celeborn, and Galadriel, who had been taking an early morning walk and been attracted by the commotion. They now stood with brows raised as Kyreea, the respected librarian snarled every curse in the book at Haldir. Elladan leaned over to his brother who was watching with his mouth hanging open. "Are you writing these down?" Elrohir grinned and the twins strode over to the couple.

"Well, Kyreea." Elladan said, trying desperately to keep a straight face. "That was one fight that won't be forgotten quickly." He choked on a suppressed snort. "Especially the way you tackled him." Elladan finally lost control and burst out laughing. Elrohir and both of Haldir's brothers joined in seconds later.

Haldir grinned as he clambered off Kyreea and offered her a hand. As anyone could have predicted, Kyreea ignored the hand and stood by herself. She brushed dirt and grass form her fitted tunic and leggings, trying to regain some of her dignity.

"That was an impressive battle." Elrond's voice said from behind her. She spun, eyes wide and found herself staring at the Lords and Ladies of both Rivendell and Lórien. She spluttered a few indistinct words and turned red. "I hear you made a bet with Haldir." Elrond continued. "Would you mind enlightening me as to what it was?" Kyreea turned redder and didn't answer.

Haldir however had no qualms of telling them what she would have to do. "Kyreea is to serve me for the next week." He crowed. Elrond's eyebrows rose so high they almost disappeared beneath his dark hair.

Elrond gave Kyreea a fatherly smile. "You never have been able to turn down a challenge." He chuckled. "Lessons will be learned one way or another." With that he turned and walked back towards the palace, the other royals followed him.

Kyreea watched them go in horror. She couldn't quite process what had happened. She grabbed her sword off the ground, sending a disgusted glance towards the two sets of brothers who were bent double, laughing. She was just about to leave when Haldir caught her arm. He towered over her, arrogant smirk firmly in place. "I'll expect you at the door of my chambers at dawn tomorrow morning. Come dressed like you were going to spar." Kyreea didn't reply, only scoffed and turned away.

Haldir watched as she stalked away with the air of a wet cat. He knew she wasn't happy about this, and that just made this victory all the sweeter. And, now that Elrond knew, Haldir was sure she wouldn't dare break her word. His smirk grew. He was going to have fun humbling the mighty Kyreea.

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Hope ya liked it. All comments are read and appreciated.

Thanks for reading!


	5. Sour Grapes

Here's the fifth chapter! My chapters are getting longer!

Enjoy!

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Kyreea spent the rest of the day in a dark mood. She chose to stick to restocking the shelves, and left the helping of would-be researchers to Erestor. Erestor, having sensed his charge's rotten mood, didn't question her. He had learned about two weeks into her stay what she could be like when her temper was roused. And from the rumors drifting around, her temper had not only been roused but it had also been built into an inferno. He would have objected to Haldir's presence because of the rattling effect he had on Kyreea, but something told him that 1) Haldir would not stay away and 2) the interaction was good for Kyreea. He honestly couldn't say why he thought that, but he just did. Since her arrival in Rivendell, Kyreea had been rather reclusive, spending little time with elves, other then those who ventured into the library. The twins Elladan and Elrohir seemed to be the closest things she had to friends. Erestor had noticed early on that Kyreea seemed to hold her fellow elves at arms length, wanting little to do with those who weren't directly related to the library. While he valued her dedication, he couldn't help but worry for her. Yes, he decided with a mental nod. This little interaction with Lórien's March Warden would do her good.

Meanwhile, Kyreea was deep in the recess of the library. Hiding among the shelves and stewing over the morning's events. How stupid could she be? She should have known she couldn't beat him, but…his jab about her being afraid had just needled her and pushed her past her limit. Now she was paying the price with not only a week of her time, but also her pride. She still flushed when she thought of how Elrond and his wife and guests had seen her. With a deep scowl she wandered even deeper into the shadows provided by the large bookcases. She was too embarrassed and angry to make reasonable plans, but one thought did manage to get through the haze in her mind. She would have her revenge. As sure as the sun would rise.

Erestor watched Kyreea leave the library. It was far later then she usually left and he had a feeling that her sudden unwillingness to leave the library had been caused by a certain grey eyed warden. With a shake of his head, Erestor turned around; ready to continue on the huge pile of books he wanted to catalogue before he locked up the library.

Only a few minutes later the door opened and someone walked into the library. When he turned, Erestor found that the guest was none other then Haldir. As soon as Haldir saw him, he strode over to him, walking with a purposeful step. "Hello, Lord Erestor." Haldir murmured, bowing his head in respect.

Erestor returned the greeting before studying Haldir with sharp eyes. "If you've come to my domain in search of a certain young she-elf, you just missed her." He knew he was being forward, but he and Haldir had always been on friendly terms.

Haldir's rich laugh echoed through the library, and made Erestor smile. "Actually, I came to talk to you, concerning this she-elf." Erestor raised one brow but did not speak so Haldir continued. "As I am sure you have heard, Kyreea and I made a rather…interesting bet this morning."

"From the way I heard it, you bet was more then 'interesting'." Erestor interjected, trying to hide his smile.

Haldir nodded, also hiding his mirth. "Well, since you've heard of it I assume you know that she is to serve me for a week." Erestor nodded; yes he had heard that, for several different sources, in fact. "I came to ask if she could be excused from her library duties for this week."

Erestor had expected something like this and he had already decided to tell Haldir the full truth. "Kyreea does not work here. She simply likes to volunteer and she comes on a daily basis. Her time is her own." Haldir nodded and thanked the old librarian, but before he could leave, one of Erestor's hands stopped him. "I think it right that I warn you she is much more then she appears. She has a past no one could imagine." He then released Haldir and returned to his cataloging, effectively ending the conversation.

Haldir left the library, thinking. He had assumed that Erestor employed Kyreea. That's what Elladan and Elrohir had made it sound like. Now however, Haldir was left wondering what she did here at the palace.

Dinner came quickly and soon Hadlir found himself seated at a long wooden table. Elrond sat at the head of the table with Lady Celebrian directly to his right. Celeborn and Galadriel sat side by side on Elrond's left. Elladan and Elrohir sat across from each other, with Arwen seated between Celebrian and Elladan. Haldir found himself on the other side of Elladan, facing Kyreea who was pointedly avoiding his gaze. Glorfindel, the master of Rivendell's guards sat at the end of the table.

It was a high honor to eat with the ruling family and Kyreea's presence at the table made Haldir wonder why she had journeyed to Rivendell. His ponderings were broken with the arrival of the food. Steaming plates of meat and trays of the ripest fruits were set in front of them. Haldir began to eat, not truly joining any of the multiple conversations. Elrond and Celeborn were speaking of the increasing threat of Sauron, Celebrian and Galadriel were talking about the new fad among she-elves, of having ribbons trailing from dresses, Elladan and Elrohir were recounting the tale of Haldir's and Kyreea's fight, and Kyreea and Glorfindel were talking about the horse fair that was to be held in Rivendell at the end of the month.

"I was thinking of looking for a horse. I've been without one since my trip here." Kyreea was saying. Glofindel nodded.

"It is a good idea to have a horse no mater what you do. Have you any particular kind of horse in mind?"

Kyreea shook her head. "I want a mare, but that's about all I've really decided."

"Any color or breed in mind?"

Again, Kyreea shook her head. "I'm not too particular, but I'd like her to already be broken to the saddle. At the same time I want her young enough that she can still learn."

Glorfindel smiled. "A wise insight, my lady. Perhaps I can help you find one you like." At this point Haldir couldn't remain silent.

"I'm sure Lady Kyreea can make the choice on her own." He snapped. For a reason he couldn't identify, Haldir didn't like the idea of Kyreea spending any extra time with Glorfindel.

Kyreea arched a brow but before she could answer Glorfindel spoke. "I'm sure Lady Kyreea will choose whether she would like someone to accompany her." He shot a venomous glare at Haldir before turning to Kyreea with a winning smile. "What do you say?"

Kyreea cleared her throat feeling uncomfortable. While she would have liked nothing better then to say she rather go with Glorfindel, just to beat Haldir down, she was willing to bet that, should she say that, she would pay for it tomorrow. "It's a long way away, I don't think it really matters right now." From the annoyed gleam in Hadlir's eyes that was not the answer he wanted.

"It is not so far away. Come, give us a clear answer." Haldir said, eyes boring into.

Kyreea stared at him in dismay. He could not do this, no matter what she said, she could not win. Fortunately for her Celeborn intervened. "Leave the poor thing alone." He said, giving Kyreea a kind smile. Kyreea returned the smile before quickly returning to her food.

The rest of dinner passed quickly and Kyreea was able to excuse herself from the table before the two ellion pulled her into another uncomfortable position. The moment she excused herself, Glorfindel stood and told her he needed to leave anyway and he would escort her to her room. Just as they were leaving the hall, Glorfindel sent a smug glance at Haldir before he curled Kyreea's arm around his and led her away.

Haldir watched them through narrow eyes. The moment Lord Celeborn finished talking to him about a new method training the Lórien wardens, Haldir excused himself and left the hall with a swift stride. He was scowling darkly and those who knew him could tell someone was in for trouble.

The two ruling families watched as Haldir's boots disappeared. His footfalls quickened then faded leaving the table in silence. Finally, Elrond spoke. "It would seem Kyreea has attracted yet another admirer. Glorfindel has been catering to her since she arrived."

Celeborn chuckled. "I wouldn't say Haldir will cater to her, but I can guarantee he won't like the competition."

Galadriel let out a silver laugh. "You have a knack for understating things, my love. If he decides Glorfindel is a threat, he won't let her out of his sight."

Both twins snorted into their goblets. "You can be sure Kyreea won't like that at all." They spoke in unison, a talent they had always had.

"Well," Arwen said smiling gently. "There is no question that the next couple months will be interesting." This was met by laughs and chuckles of agreement

Haldir stormed through the palace, determined to find the two and force them apart. It had never occurred to him that Kyreea might be in a relationship with another elf and the thought disturbed him. He decided that he would find out whether those two were seeing each other, even if he had to pry it from her lips, which, when he thought about it, was an inviting idea.

He rounded the last corner to the hall in which his and Kyreea's rooms were and froze midstep. Kyreea and Glorfindel had just halted in front of her door. They exchanged a few words that Haldir couldn't hear before Glorfindel kissed her hand and left, striding down the opposite end of the hallway. Kyreea stared after him, an odd look on her face. After a moment she shook her head and retreated into her room, closing the door with a soft 'thump'.

Haldir, having only just been able to put a cap on his fury, stalked up to her door and knocked briskly, schooling his face into a look of cool indifference. Mentally he was fuming. How dare he? How dare Glorfindel so much as look at her, much less kiss her hand? And why had she let him? At least that was one problem he could remedy.

Kyreea came to the door, looking annoyed when she saw who it was. "What do you want?" She demanded, choosing to ignore all formality.

"I wanted to talk to you. Let me come in." Knowing he wouldn't get an invitation. Haldir slipped past her into the room. He turned to her and crossed his arms.

Kyreea was infuriated by his arrogant actions. He acted as if he had a right to come into _her_ room, as if he owned the place. Her anger only grew when she turned to find him looking at her with the disapproving look a parent would give a troublesome elfling. She crossed her arms, copying his stance. "What is it?" She snapped crossly.

Haldir ignored the question. "One in your position would be wise to speak with more respect." His tone was icy and it made her bristle.

"I will speak to you however I like" Kyreea replied, her voice gaining a sharp, cold edge that sang of trouble.

"You don't seem to have a problem keeping a civil tongue in your head when you speak to Glorfindel." Haldir hadn't meant to say it that way but now it was too late. "In fact it would seem you enjoy his presence."

Kyreea blinked at him. She had been friends with Glorfindel since she had arrived but she had never even considered him as more then a friend. Haldir's annoyance made her smirk. "Funny, I was under the impression that the _great _March Warden of Lórien was above such common things as jealousy."

"It seems to me you enjoy having the attentions of multiple elves." This snide remark made Kyreea's eyes darken and Haldir knew immediately that he had gone too far, but she had deserved it and Haldir had no intention of taking it back.

"Y-y-you!" was all Kyreea could get out, so great was her fury. She lifted her hand and brought it across, slamming it into Haldir's cheek with a resounding 'slap'. Had she been calm and thinking straight she would have never done that, but he had stepped across the line.

Haldir's eyes flashed and he grabbed her wrist in a painfully firm grip. "You will regret that." He growled through gritted teeth. She began to angrily order her immediate release and his quick departure. "I'll not leave until I hear an apology. "

Not about to apologize, Kyreea yanked her arm from his grip slipped behind him, and, by planting her foot firmly in the middle of his rear, proceed to kick him out the door, literally.

In moments Haldir found himself standing out in the hall staring at her closed door. He heard her slide the privacy lock into place. He could easily get past that. Every elf knew how, but most respected the occupant's right to privacy. The only thing that kept Haldir from barging back into her room was the knowledge that he would get her back one hundred fold tomorrow.

Sighing, Haldir felt his anger vanish, quickly being replaced by feelings of mingled annoyance and amusement. He was quite sure that, had he not been on the receiving end of it, the recent spectacle would have been quite hilarious. How often did you see two of the most calm and collected elves go at it with every thing they had? Not often, that was for sure.

Sighing once more, Haldir decided he would turn in early. It would not do for anyone to see him wandering around with a bright red handprint on his face. He walked to his door and quietly entered his room. He heard a muffled scream of frustration and rage come through the wall that separated him from his furious neighbor. It made him smirk to know that he may not have actually lost after all.

Stripping off his tunic and under tunic, Haldir settled in for an evening of nursing his wounded cheek, rear, and pride, and plotting.

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I hoped you enjoyed it. I can't talk long since Haldir is right behind me waving his sword. That was NOT the way he wanted this chapter to end.

Anyway, I hoped you liked and just so you know I've typed up the first chapted of a LegolasXOC that I plan on posting soon. The more reviews I get the faster I'll update.

Thanks for reading!

LadyTyrant

Having finished typing a hasty author's not, LadyTyrant gets up and takes off with Haldir just over a sword length away


	6. Spiked Cider

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Well, here's another exiting episode from the chronicles of Lady Kyreea and Lord Haldir.

Enjoy!

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Haldir rose early the next morning. He showered (Indoor plumbing was something the elves had managed to master long before its time) and dressed before heading to Kyreea's room. He was, admittedly, early but he had learned early on how long it took for she-elves to get ready for _anything._

The privacy latch was still in place and Haldir spent only a moment moving it before he opened the door. He walked into the small sitting room in which he and Kyreea had come to blows the night before. Having not had time yesterday, Haldir stopped a moment to take in the room. The size and layout of the room was similar to his next door but the decorations and furniture were different. While Haldir's accommodations were obviously meant to be cozy and welcoming, Kyreea's surroundings gave off a different feeling altogether. Draperies of every imaginable shade of green hung from the walls, most were lined in silver. Two redwood chairs were arranged in front of a small hearth with a little table, piled high with books, in between them. A love seat that matched the redwood chairs had been pushed up against the left wall. On the seat's left was a well sized table, that was obviously meant to have all the chairs gathered around it, and on the seats right was a large red wood bookcase. The bookcase was filled from top to bottom with books. Glancing over the titles, Haldir found that there was no trend to the books. She had books about every thing from human agriculture to 'The legend of Rition the Wary'. A redwood desk took up the corner between the hearth and the door that lead, presumably, to Kyreea's bedchamber. The desk was neatly arranged with quills, bottles of ink, and parchment. A few journals also resided on the desk. One of these journals lay open on the desk and Haldir glanced down at it. It was dated the day before yesterday and random notes on a book titled 'Alchemy in the Modern Elf's Life' had been scrolled across the page in a slightly scripted hand. The opposite page held a neat diagram of a wizards contraption that had been copied from the afore mentioned book, which was open and propped up against the wall.

Feeling he had examined the room enough, Haldir turned to the door that hid that separated him from a week of revenge. He pulled it open and himself looking at her canopy bed. Her empty canopy bed. Haldir stepped into the room, scowling slightly. Her bed was neatly made and the rest of the room appeared empty. This room had the same green fabric and redwood theme. The bed stood on a slightly raised platform and had long hangings that cascade all around the bed. These hangings had been tied to the four posts that supported the canopy, at the head and foot of the bed, with wide silver ribbons. A set of doors hid, what Haldir assumed was, her closet on his left and a door on his right probably led to her private bathroom. Thick green curtains that had intricate silver leaves embroidered on them, were held away from the two glass doors that led to her terrace, with silver ribbons just like those on her bed.

Haldir's first thought was that she had left so she could avoid him. Rumil and Orophin would occasionally hide from him when it was their time to return to the fences. He began to search the room looking in all the places his brothers might have used: on the terrace, behind the heavy curtains, between the clothes in her closet, and, on second thought, the shelf above her clothes in the closet. He was had just bent over to check under the bed when he heard a door open. He sat back on his knees and looked behind him.

Kyreea stood in the doorway that led to the bathroom. She clutched a towel that was wrapped around her small frame and her loose black hair was dripping. She stared at him with a blank look of incomprehension. Slowly, her expression changed to one of amusement.

"What are you doing?" Her voice was calm but her eyes were dancing with mirth. Haldir stood and stalked toward her.

"I was looking for you."

"Under my bed?" The question made Haldir sigh. It was obvious that she was not going to let him forget this anytime soon. The good news, however, was that he had not managed to upset her and he decided he wanted to keep her in a good humor.

"My apologies. I came to wake you but you weren't here so I was looking for you."

Kyreea arched an eye brow. "And what gave you the crazy notion that I would be under my bed?" Her voice was now openly amused and she was giving him a laughing smile. "I assure if I had chosen to break my word I know much better hiding places then the underside of my bed."

Haldir winced and cleared his throat. "Well, you need to dress. Or," He added with a smirk "remain the way you are. I don't mind in the slightest." His comment seemed to remind of her current lack of apparel and she turned red, all traces of a smile vanishing.

"Get out!" she snarled before pushing him into the sitting room with the hand that was not clutching her towel. She slammed the door and, as Haldir stood in the middle of her sitting room, he could hear her grumbling and snarling.

Haldir waited silently for her, her smiling face taunting him. Admittedly, he knew he had pushed his luck too far but he had been tempted. He had expected her to be very short tempered after the night's fiasco, but he assumed the surprise of seeing him checking under her bed had probably made her forget that. Now, however, he was quite sure her ill humor would be back.

He was right.

Kyreea stepped from her room wearing loosely fitted training clothes, her hair held back in a thick, braided bun at the base of her neck. She shut the door and glared at him. He noted that she wore her sword strapped to her belt. Choosing to ignore her stare, Haldir opened the door into the hall and gestured for her to go out. She did so and stopped in the hall, arms crossed.

"Come on." Was all Haldir said before he set out to the practice fields. Kyreea followed him, all but running to keep up with him and his stride.

Warriors were only just beginning to show up and all but three of the fields were empty. Haldir chose one of these fields, walked to the middle and turned to face Kyreea. She stood a few feet away, arms crossed resolutely. "We now spar."

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Their multiple sparring matches were all rather vicious. Despite Haldir's efforts to be polite, every comment he made seemed to annoy Kyreea more. He was used to talking to his wardens, who respected him and were used to his criticism. Kyreea, on the other hand, had no visible respect for him and took offense to comments like 'you are as weak as all elleths.' That comment had won Haldir a smack on the back of his legs with the flat of her sword. He had meant that all elleth are natural weaker then ellion. He didn't, however, phrase it that way so it sounded like he was being sexist. After nearly three hours of this, they called it quits and Haldir released Kyreea to do as she would until noon when she was to bring him his lunch in the dining hall. Haldir made the choice not force his presence on her too soon.

Haldir watched her as she retreated to palace, and sighed. The only good thing that had come form their practice was that Haldir now knew he weaknesses, so he now knew what he should work on. He also intended to review her skills with a bow. He didn't know if she knew how so intended to teach her.

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Kyreea walked out of the kitchen balancing two trays. Each tray had a goblet, a plate with that day's lunch on it and the various utensils that elves might use. She also carried a pitcher of apple cider. Lunch at the palace was a rather random affair. There was no particular meal time; one simply ate when you were there. There was always food in the kitchen and that is where you served yourself. Kyreea had chosen a braised lamb and vegetable dish for both of them since Haldir had not said what he had wanted.

She entered the half-full dining hall and quickly found Haldir. He was lounging at one of the long tables, tapping his fingers against the wood. She walked up and placed his food in front of him. She made to round the table and sit across from him, but he caught her arm and pulled down next to him. Kyreea winced but said nothing.

They ate in a rather tense silence. Haldir, who was watching Kyreea closely, decided something was bothering her. She was sitting stiffly and wasn't eating much. She seemed a bit nervous, which pleased Haldir. Before, she had always been too angry to be nervous, perhaps she had finally let her grudge drop. Maybe he would try to be kind once more.

"Thank you for eating with me." Haldir murmured once he'd finished.

Kyreea looked up at him, obviously surprised. She had been waiting for her little addition to cider to take affect. She nodded vaguely rather unsure how to react.

The awkward moment was broken by the loud arrival of Elladan, Elrohir, Rumil, Orophin, and Glorfindel. The deposited their lunches beside and across from Haldir and Kyreea. "Oh! We forgot our beverages" Elladan sighed.

"We have more then enough cider." Haldir offered pushing the pitcher towards the twins. They grinned and poured the cider into all five of their goblets, before taking a long swig.

Kyreea tried to hide her horror. She had made sure not to touch the cider, and now they had all drank some. The potion she had added would be activating itself any moment and then all the ellion around her would be…

Rumil let out a high hiccup that caused a wave of chuckles to circle the table. Orophin grinned at his brother "You sound like an elfl- _hiccup." _Orophin covered his mouth. Elrohir opened his mouth to joke about the brothers' predicament but he too let out a hiccup instead of speech. In less then a minute all six ellion at the table were hiccupping loudly.

Haldir looked at Kyreea who remained silently seated between Elladan and himself. He saw her untouched goblet and the entire thing made perfect sense. She had meant to embarrass him but the others had come along and everything had been gone wrong. He sent her an accusing glare that was only slightly less intimidating because of his hiccups. Kyreea just shook her head before burying her face in her hands. This was not supposed to happen.

By this time their table had caught the attention of the entire hall and elves were watching them and laughing heartily. To Kyreea's absolute mortification, Elrond, his wife, Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn chose that time to make an appearance. Lord Celeborn was laughing as were Lady Celabrian and the Lady of Light. Elrond looked down at the seven younger elves, his eyes sparkling.

"I see you little invention has made an appearance again, Kyreea." Kyreea didn't look up, only nodded. "As funny as this is there is a meeting everyone at this table must attend and it would be good if I could speak to you with out being interrupted every other word by a hiccup. Why don't you go get the antidote?" Kyreea nodded meekly before getting up and bolting out of the hall.

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So there you have it! I admit I was orginally planning to have a few more pranks but I decided that this was getting a bit old. I plan to start a bit more fluff between them but that won't be happening allto soon since Kyreea is still stubborn. I have a vauge idea of what is going to happen but I'd like to hear what YOU would like to happen. There are still more chapters to go... Maybe I'll end up sticking her with Glorfindel... Unless I get feed back That's what may happen.

MUHAHAHAH! Blackmail! I LOVE it!

Until next time, the fate of Kyreea rest in your reviews!

LadyTyrant


	7. Breaking Bread

Here's another chapter of Haldir and Kyreea. I'm sooooo sorry this took so long. I'll have a longer excuse at the end after you read.

ENJOY!

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Elrond led the still hiccupping elves into his study, chuckling the entire time. They had tried a couple times to ask him just what he had meant by Kyreea's 'little invention'. Every time they tried they would be interrupted by a hiccup, be it their own or not, and the four royal elves would start laughing again. Having given up on getting an explanation until the antidote arrived, Hadlir took a seat in one of the leather armchairs that faced Elronds desk. He had thought Elrond would begin immediately, but the elf lord seemed content to wait for Kyreea's return.

She appeared about three minutes later, panting and still flushed. She held a vial that had some kind of purple liquid in it. She handed it to Elrond and tried to make a retreat but Celeborn caught her arm and pulled her back, smiling gently down at her. Haldir eyed her carefully. Wisps of hair had escaped the clasp she had it in and they had swung forward to frame her face and fall in her eyes. Her chest heaved and it was clear that she had sprinted to and from where ever it was she kept the antidote. All in all, she looked decidedly flustered.

Elrond uncapped the vial and poured it into a pitcher of water on his desk, Lady Celebrian handed the hiccupping ellion goblets and Elrond handed the pitcher to Kyreea. Bowing her head she shuffled around the desk and poured antidote-water into each of the goblets. Rumil glanced down at his before looking up at Kyreea. "How do –hic-we know this –hic- isn't spiked too? Hic!" His voice was not unkind but Kyreea turned an even darker shade of red and turned away.

Once they had all drained the goblets and the hiccups had dwindled down to a quiet 'hic' once in a while Elrond addressed the assembled elves. "As you know the main reason for Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn's visit is so we can discuss the rising threat of Sauron. Elladan, Rumil will be shadowing you during practices, border patrols and the like. Elrohir, Orophin will be following you. We hope after a couple weeks that we will be able to combine guard tactics from both Rivendell and Lorien in an attempt to further the security around our cities. Glorfindel, I just wanted you to be aware that these two would be shadowing." Elrond paused for a moment, considering something. Finally, he said "You may go." Recognizing the dismissal immediately the five elves stood bowed and left, Glorfindel shooting a slightly worried look over his shoulder at Kyreea.

Once the door had closed, Elrond turned to Kyreea who was doing her best to disappear into the corner she stood in. "Take a seat, please." He gestured to the chair next to Haldir and she gingerly took her seat. "Now, I realize you two aren't currently on the best of terms but I have a request to make. Will you work together in the Library, looking for information that could help us? I want anything you think could help us. I don't care if it's maps of Mordor, habits of orcs or even Sauron's daily diet! If you think it will help I trust you." He leveled the two with a steady gaze. "Will you do it?"

Haldir nodded and, to his surprise, so did Kyreea. She looked extremely serious; all traces of embarrassment seemed to have disappeared. Her posture had become incredibly upright, implying that Elrond had her full attention and her eyes had become horribly cold, determined. He had no more than a moment to wonder over her sudden change in attitude when Elrond spoke again.

"Wonderful." He smiled warmly at both of them though he seemed especially happy about Kyreea's agreement. "As I've said, any information you can find is good. Any speculations you can draw are also both prized and will be duly." He stopped, allowing Celeborn to continue.

"Haldir, we would like you to devise both offensive and defensive strategies for both Lorien and Rivendell. Make as many as you want, the more options we have the better." Celeborn glanced at Elrond again. "Also, see if you can work with as many elements as are even vaguely possible. Anything, help from all the elven cities, recruits for men, dwarves. Anything that has ever been used and could be used again. Sauron is becoming a threat to all beings on Middle Earth, not only the us."

"Kyreea," Elrond picked up. "you'll be helping Haldir with everything. You know the library as well as Erestor and that will definitely come in handy." He stopped and gave her a secretive smile. "Haldir I'm sure you'll find she's more help then you can imagine." He nodded to them. "That's all." Haldir and Kyreea stood to leave, Kyreea still oddly somber. "Oh, and one more thing; I doubt Erestor would be amused if anything happened to his library so I suggest you two come to some sort of truce." He gave them a fond smile while the others chuckled behind him, and waved a hand towards the door. The two younger elves left the room feeling rather foolish.

They walked in silence, unconsciously falling in step with one another. The silence wasn't uncomfortable, per say, more…thoughtful. Both elves were thinking deeply about something. Haldir was trying to figure out what it was that had made Kyreea so serious and determined. He knew that it had something to do with Sauron and his orcs, but passed that, Haldir couldn't figure out what had put her on edge. One would assume that an elleth, or most ellion even, worried about the increasing threat of Sauron and many feared his ambitions would lead to war but the look Haldir had seen on Kyreea's face had been something different altogether. He had hoped to examine that more carefully but at Elrond's comment of a truce she had reverted back to the embarrassed slightly flustered elleth of a few moments before.

Haldir was pulled from his musings by Kyreea's voice. "How do you do it?" she demanded suddenly, leaving Haldir completely lost.

"Do what?" he asked, no idea what she was talking about.

She looked up from her detailed examination of her shoes and looked at him. Her gaze wasn't quite a glare but it was just a bit too hostile to be called friendly. "Whenever I do something or end up in a position that can or is causing me embarrassment, Lord Elrond, Lady Celebrian and their guest show up." She paused brow wrinkling in concentration. "This never happened before and then you show up and this happens." She threw her hands up with a huff.

"You can't blame me for that." Haldir said. "It's only coincidence."

"It is more than coincidence and you know it." She shot him an accusing glare. "I can blame you and I do blame you." Her look of complete seriousness was too much for Haldir and he burst out laughing.

"That's absurd!"

"No, it's not. It makes perfect sense." Haldir looked down and their eyes met for a moment before they both started laughing. "You right this is absurd." She gasped, wiping away a tear. "This has got to be the most pointless conversation I've had since…" She paused considering it. "Since I spoke to you last, actually."

Haldir smiled recognizing no malice in her voice. A moment later he decided to bring up the truce Elrond had suggested. "So, how about that truce?" He looked down at her to make sure she was listening. "You help me in the library and I'll forget the 'slave' business."

Kyreea considered it for a moment. "Agreed, but only if we continue sparring." Haldir blinked surprised but she offered no explanation, so he nodded.

"Agreed. I'll see you tomorrow morning then?"

She nodded and turned down a side hall on their left, but stopped after a few steps. She turned around to face him. "Only this time see if you can't stay in the outer room, hmm?" She grinned at him before turning away and disappearing down the hall. Haldir stood, watching her retreating back, felling oddly content.

* * *

So... what did you think? Please tell me. Now, onto other matters.

I know I took ages on this one but I've had alot of work. (Work in summer, sick and twited I know) And unfortunately I have summer school starting soon. But, I have written a oneshot (currently) with Haldir so keep a look out for that.

Next, I already know what is going to happen at the end but I'm slowly running out of ideas as how to get there, Tell me any prank or event you think would be intresting and I'll see if I can work it in.

Finally, I would like my readers to tell me whether there is a pairing or plot you'd like to see in a one shot or longer. I write LOTR (Obviously) as well as Phantom of the opera, willy wonka, naruto, and alot other. (Though I haven't posted alot.) JUst tell me and I'll what I an do!

Thanks for reading and please review!

Lady Tyrant


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